A mother fills her daily life with a set of neurotic rites following the death of a fish. Projecting her fear of death onto that of the animal, she relentlessly watches over the pond next to which she lives and engages in an absurd struggle against the murdering heron. Her daughter, who tries to help her in her illness, finally locks herself into a similar neurosis, the only way for her to maintain a bond with her mother. In their wake, the other characters reveal strange manias that drive them apart.